My attempt to keep chickens.

[sandy]

Bob more girls gonna have a loving caring and excellent home
now then...
Shelly
Sian
Sarah
Sally
Shona
Samantha
Stephanie
Sindy
Sigrid
Sadie
Sorcha
Stella

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , thank you Sandy , Well have to add another three soon as collecting them as need homes (Xmas homeless contact ) . Not sure what I am going to get as long as not any boys. Hope all had a good rest and back into the swing for the New Year .
terrors are in with 12 new girls and the feathers are growing back . Champ is showing his age (6 year old now.) Jack the one eye boy (now sure he has two eyes to see with . Not sure what optician will check him out.) Desmond good , Evil and Pom Pom are in the dog cage quite happy together . A Spec (not Coo- Coo ) seems to be poorly wings down and tail . Metacam once a day seems to perk her up . wants out with flock in evening to roost .
SHMBO cat got hit by car Sat before Xmas and now 4000 pounds later feed with tube . Starting to eat again . Teeth missing and wired jaw . Lucky cat to survive and have a caring owner (with a large wallet . ) No more vet bills for a while please ........
Well more later as work calls , been off too much and plenty to do.
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi picked up 3 neglected hens , Booked the vets to get the claws clipped as over grown (get Club done as well whilst at it .)
2 white rangers and a brown possibly pedigree hen ( not Hybrid ) . they are in the two Terrors quarters at the moment , last seen hand bagging it with Club and some others through the wire after having a LOT to eat .
I think they will be good hens and white eggs will be a bonus should they start laying . No idea of age .
So not much room in the inn .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , well New Year and first visit to vets today at 12.40 pm . Taking the 2 white hens from yesterday to have claws clipped with Club . got a good deal 8 pounds for all 3 by a nurse ,either me clipping the claws or the nurse , other holding them . Might get a vet you never know and a free check over .
Jack was a wake with the early risers including me today .
Surprisingly the hens are awake before the boys looking for food. Not quiet either .
Not sure who gets who up .
Spec white ring not Coo Coo is in with Evil last night .
Pom Pom went off with the main flock to roost . she gets the best of both worlds treats in both places . Sisters are feathering well adjusting in time for the bad cold weather due .
Not heard anything about bird flu , if anyone hears let me know as surprised so far . Last years it was November when it all started.
SHMBO bought me for Xmas 2 large bags of mealworms . I mean mealworms on cornflakes ???? So the girls will be spoiled over the next few weeks /months.
Now SHMBO says they only need a couple each .......
Really how the blazes do you give my flock a mealworm each .
Not quite like feeding the wild birds at a lake for sure .
Maybe she should show me ,but that would not be a good idea at the moment as birds seem in ever corner of the garden and the middle as well.
Hoping the new girls will settle down and join the main flock after the normal handbags at dawn.
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

hi all , well back from the vets .
Club was seen by the vets amazingly back in 2015 . she still is a beautiful hen , except for her poor claws. she behaved so well and the nurse cut back her claws . I did say she was seen a 18 months , to be old 3 years plus . looks after her claws well .
Well from Club to the new girls . Dirty feet even though I washed and scrubbed them for a hour before going . Brown hen claws cut ok (4th hen ) white hen (3rd ) had to have dirt cut of toes to see the quick , nurse done well to do it ,
2nd hen after Club was a mess . I had realised that her claws and legs was in a bad way and said before hand that she may need to see a vet . Well another clean up and toes cut back . When cut to far which I can not blame the nurse for as they was in a pretty bad state , she applied I presume super glue ?
Girls all was so good . The one so bad was taken to the vet and he told the nurse after a good 5-10 min`s that it was probably a very bad case of bumble foot .(I was hoping for Scaly mite ) . Meds would mean on her own for rest of life and a very long time in taking the meds... (Like Canker ) .
Soft grass , I laughed at that point as I said grass has not been seen growing in my garden for years . Soft ground being the alternative .
I have returned them all to their quarters and having a think about it all .First I have the mind to get some weight on them and try and bulk them up . This will take sometime as quick to loose and hard to return .
I have put some vasoline on the 3 hens claws/legs to easy the problem a bit .
All the above an extra hen for 8.00 pounds vet advise as well .
I put it down to , charity case of rescued hens, regular attendee and experience for the nurse .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi Sandy , I will use your names , Get the ring numbers and you can match them up to a name .
One hen though is going to be called Simone as she follows me all over the place when given the chance .
Boys have been really good with 12 hens , not chasing them like I thought they would or even arguing over them between themselves.
Names for the 3 new hens are needed , may be only for a short while , but maybe a thirdbird rescue name .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Well Yesterday I bought a huge tub of sudacream . I washed the white hens claws and legs. Smothered her legs and claws , laid out a bandage smothered it with sudacream and put eye pad cleaners on it then wrapped it round her claws and leg , then the second one as well. I took her from her friends and put her in a box a foot square in the kitchen next to Evil and Pom Pom . This is due to her painful walking and laying on her side in the dog run.
She is a little darling like all sick hens . She is eating and drinking . I have given her a large does of metacam every morning and today Tylan as well in her drink bowl in the box.
amazing the bandages stayed on over night and she stands comfortable and even walked on the grass and wondered on to the pavement before coming back to me .
She had a cuddle and I decided that I would try to leave her in the dog run with friends . All afternoon she stayed in there and I brought her back in pm today . Going to get a larger box for her in doors . I do not hold a lot of hope for her but I am doing what I can to make her life how ever long a comfortable and enjoyable .
It is totally down to what a she has and how much can be healed .
Time will tell .
Other 2 hens seem very happy and I will give them a couple more days and I will let them out with the flock for freedom . They are strong enough to take the flocks on through the caging .
12 hens got from Huntingdon are feathering up as their feathers are growing so is there check and some follow me at every opportunity .
The Terrors and the hens are let out with the main flock and only Champ and a terror clashed , baring the hens that are from the main flock throwing handbags at the new hens . A terror was treading a hen which I think did not know what hit her..... I now have to watch for them fighting each other .
Came home this afternoon and found Scramble , Champ , 12 other hens Desmond in the front room and kitchen . Harley and Polo and a cat looking at me as if to say get them out . Fortunately no harm done other than they turned the kitchen floor into a coop look a like by emptying the straw , sawdust and the other bits in the dog cage out . Evil was on the bench where I had left her . She loves banana which feed her one every day.
well enough for now 4 eggs today , most from Jacks hens .
Bob
House of Penelope and Red.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , well I have had a good day in the garden with my flock , very successful .
first , the poorly white ranger , I would like to call Simone ,but do not want to jinx her . She is very much alive and well . Eats and drinks and walking on her padded claws.
She went outside with her friends most of the day . Left claw bandage came off this afternoon , so replaced it . same way , but before I washed the claw with cheap Detol Her claw and foot did not seem worse , I left the other still on .
She is in the box over night till her weight gets bigger .
The Terrors and their flock(s) , was out int he garden and no boy fights and the hens was not to bad . One of the terrors sunbathed by the garage door fir half hour . Champ has been near but left without a fight and Desmond stood in among his favorite hens for safety I think .
All back in the right coops counted back .
Let Jack , naughty boy very noise this morning so had him on my knee in the kitchen for over an hour quietly , with his 5 hens in the garden from 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm . Two new hens on their own sleep under the coop nest area on the ground . Seem happy enough , covered over with a tent canvas sheet.
Took 2 large bags of run soil to work -veg patch more tomorrow . getting a couple large bags of sawdust which I will put in runs when I get the level down to original dirt .
Plenty of meal worms to keep them all worm .
Bob

[sandy]

as usual Bob you have your hands full. Where exacty did the 3 hens come from? Were they just abandoned?
Lots of to Simone, bless her with her bandage stockings on.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi Sandy , they belonged to a gentleman who was not looking after them Absent more often then present at home , ,his family told me to collect and take away and re home .
Walthamstow , London E17 ,area. When I first let them loose in run they ate like me at a meet up .
SHMBO has been very heplful in supplying medical bandages and other bits to help them , first hens for a long time I have not been b.....ked for getting .
Be going home soon , hopefully to a quiet garden , Shut the door of Jack s coop so he can not get out in run . See what happens.
Looking forward to a nice day of chicken watching . Better than house work .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , the door shutting on Jacks Coop worked , went to bed and got up 7.45 am......
Guess what I forgot to shut it tonight so , Jack on the lap in the morning.
All the flock in the garden today except the new hens .
I had evil on my lap for a while . I was actually sitting on a chair sun bathing ...... Champ jumped on my other leg . He was expecting me to feed Evil and as I was not he then jumped down. I put Evil down and put Simone . she shut her eyes in the sun and we enjoyed a bit of quality time together .
The Terrors came out , one sunbathed by the garage door , the other had a to do through the wire with Jack . Desmond and the sunbathing Terror had their neck feathers up at each other . I parted them and they went there different ways .
Champ just walked past him and no problems . The sunbathing Terror started scratching around and a couple of the main flock came and helped him.
Last thing of the day I picked up the white ranger in the dog run , She wailed as if I was going to take her back home . Jack came straight over and attacked my leg . I had to put her back ad he left me alone .
I said I would have a good day but , it was so good that it will stay with me a long time .
Simone has had a new bandage on leg and she is in a box with a blanket over her box next to Evils dog age .
bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Just another note pretty sure Scramble Junior is a hen , she is following the two Terrors all round the garden and will not go in main coop and hangs about their door . One of the Terrors tried to tread her but she legged it quick . Under age naughty boy Terror.
New hen sisters are doing well and not like how I first got them at all now. They eat like I have never seen hens eat , all food goes very quick and feed them at least 6 times a day.
Bob
one egg only today.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , today , Simone went in her open box for a van driver , best passenger ever , only bop bop`s and never complains when she bangs her head on the front of the box.
I took bandages off her at 6.00 am this morning , to allow some fresh air . 10.00 am she had a wash with antiseptic liquid . Also a soak in warm water . Both claws smothered in suda-cream and then on the pads and bandages . SHMBO applied the bandages with the skill of a medical nurse wrapping both legs and claws . Very good check over and parts of her claw , lumps did come off . still a lot more . scale and muck to come , but the claws are pink and moving the toes etc. I personally think
she has not got bumblefoot , but the problem of living in muck and dirt for far to long for her good.
well the rest of the flock are good . Desmond and a Terror raised their feathers on neck , but I soon parted them and peace resumed. Jack saw me take Pom Pom from run to kitchen and he thought she was in trouble and promptly attacked my trousers with all claws and beak . Well he is a good boy for protecting but naughty for trying to hurt me......
Simone will get bandages changed the week end . SHMBO suggested putting baby socks on . I thought she meant mine , they would cover her feet to her head .
This would stop the claws getting dirty .
saw deer in Epping Forest today very beautiful creatures in the wild.
Well work calls .
Bob
PS I ain`t leaving work unfortunately ..... (Forcefully anyway ) Dam.

[sandy]

Bob know exactly what you mean about quality time with the girls and boys, i really miss that, i miss 2012 when i was only working 2 days a week and i had the extensions built on the run so i spent 5 days a week with the girls. i feel a bit sorry for my now family as they dont see that much of me.
Your new rescuees are so lucky they have ended up with you, bless Simone with her bed socks
Does this mean no reduncancy then Bob?

[bikesandbirdsbob]

No , It means instead of being told go home , I will have to make the choice .
Sometimes it is easier if one has no choice in life , then you cannot make a mistake.
Chickens are still training me for sure , I have taken 3 bags of poo and straw /mud every day to work ready to lay a deep sawdust layer in runs.
I actually have a box of six eggs.
Bob
SHMBO must get the medals as Always a woman behind the man .